


baby days

by yoonminoml (fanficloverme96)



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Fluff and Humor, Gen, Toddlers, childfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:26:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27316231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fanficloverme96/pseuds/yoonminoml
Summary: Mitsuki stands in the middle of the room, his arms full of a toddler. The young child in Mitsuki’s hold has vibrant red hair that frames his chubby face and his wide eyes are bright with curiosity as he stares at Mitsuki with a happy smile.“Oh!” Nagi exclaims, “That baby looks like Riku!”
Relationships: Kujou Ten & Nanase Riku
Comments: 28
Kudos: 160





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this is set after part 3 but it's not really that important of an info because it's just to explain why gaku addresses tsumugi the way he does in this fic

“I’m thirsty…”

The IDOLiSH7 dorm is deathly quiet save for the sound of Riku’s muffled footsteps against the floor. Riku had woken up at an ungodly time of day, his throat suddenly feeling as dry as a bone. He had tried to ignore it in favor of sleep, but when the dryness began to hurt and prevent him from losing consciousness, Riku gave up and fumbled for the light switch before trudging outside his room towards the kitchen.

Now, as he blindly reaches for the fridge - not wanting to risk waking up anyone else, Riku decides to forgo switching on any light save for the one above the stove -, he rubs his throat absently. “Did I overwork myself?” he mutters to himself, “I hope I don’t end up losing my voice. Never mind Manager…Iori's gonna be mad at me.”

He sighs to himself as he reaches into the fridge. His hand closes around the first bottle he feels, before bringing it out. Riku blinks in confusion when he looks at the bottle in his hand, not recognizing the label. It appears to be some kind of juice and when he unscrews the cap and takes a cautious sniff, he is pleasantly surprised by a sweet scent.

“I don’t remember buying this but it doesn’t have a name…” Riku takes a look around him. “I'll just take a sip then! I hope it’s not too sweet, though…”

Riku takes a small sip, jerking a little when a strong taste hits his tongue.

“Definitely too sweet!” he exclaims, but swallows the rest of the liquid already in his mouth. He screws the cap back on and hurriedly puts the bottle back. “Whoever bought that must be a sweet tooth...probably Tamaki…”

In the end, Riku had poured himself a glass of water, downs the liquid in one go, before setting the glass on the counter with a satisfied sigh.

“Definitely feels a lot better now,” he says to himself, “I should go back to sleep...Tomorrow’s schedule is kinda early…”

As he walks back to his bedroom, Riku notices one thing.

The back of his throat feels kind of strange.

Mitsuki is the first to bring it up the next morning.

“Riku is up late, don’t you think?” he asks, “If even Tamaki is here, then something is wrong.”

There is a muttered complaint from Tamaki at the end of the table, but Mitsuki’s words quickly sink into everyone’s minds. Iori glances at the empty seat beside him with an expression that indicates he had just noticed the fact that a certain redhead is not sitting next to him that morning.

“Did he come back late yesterday?” Yamato asks, mostly unconcerned, “He could be sleeping in.”

“Riku-kun’s schedule ended the same time as ours did,” Sougo speaks, “We walked to the dorm together. It wasn’t that late when we reached home.”

“Someone should wake him up,” Iori says, “We have a schedule in less than two hours. He needs to get ready now if we were to make it in time.”

“I’ll do it,” Mitsuki offers, “I wonder if he forgot to set his alarm…”

Mitsuki unties his apron, sets it on the counter, and walks towards the hallway that connects their rooms together. For a moment, all is tranquil at the table, with each member preoccupied with either their breakfast or their thoughts.

That is until a yell cuts through the silence.

“Nii-san?!” Iori exclaims, the first to jump out of his seat. 

The rest quickly follow suit, trailing behind Iori as the boy bolts towards where the scream originated. The group members find the door to Riku’s room open. Iori wastes no time in practically throwing himself into the room.

“Nii-san, what’s wro -,”

“Iorin?” Tamaki asks when he sees Iori suddenly frozen in shock, “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

Iori wordlessly lifts a finger to point towards a certain direction. Everyone follows the direction Iori is pointing at.

“Huh?” Tamaki squints, “Mikki, whose baby are you holdin’?”

Mitsuki stands in the middle of the room, his arms full of a toddler. The young child in Mitsuki’s hold has vibrant red hair that frames his chubby face and his wide eyes are bright with curiosity as he stares at Mitsuki with a happy smile.

_ “Oh!”  _ Nagi exclaims, “That baby looks like Riku!”

“Now that you mention it…” Sougo says, peering at the child, “But that couldn’t be, right?”

Yamato grins. “Well, there is only one way to find out.”

He approaches the pair, his arms already held up in front of him. His fingers curl to imitate animal claws, his expression mischievous as he peers at the baby. Mitsuki steps away from him warily, turning his upper body away.

“Yamato-san, what are you doing?” Mitsuki protests, “You’ll scare him.”

“I just wanted to know if it’s Riku -,”

His words are cut off when the baby in Mitsuki’s arms starts to shift. Mitsuki looks down in panic, immediately noticing the watery look in the baby’s eyes and the trembling of his bottom lip. “A-ah,” Mitsuki says, “It’s okay - this old man was just teasing -,”

Before he could even finish his sentence, the baby in Mitsuki’s arms opens his mouth to let out a wailing cry, tears streaming down his cheeks in full force. He flails his arms and kicks his feet as he cries, and wouldn’t budge even when Mitsuki adjusts his position so that Mitsuki is now hugging him and patting his back.

“Why is the baby so loud?!” Tamaki complains, pressing his hands against his ears, “Are all babies this loud?”

“Nikaido-san must have startled him,” Iori says with a twitch of his eyebrow, clearly unamused. 

“Hey now, don’t put  _ all  _ the blame on me!” Yamato looks at the crying baby in Mitsuki’s embrace, the corner of his lips pulling upwards at the hilarity of it all. “Well, with a set of lungs like that...There’s no mistaking it, alright.”

He winces when the crying becomes louder.

“That’s  _ definitely  _ Riku.”

An hour and plenty of crying later, the members of IDOLiSH7 now gather in the living room, with the now toddler Riku the center of their attention. Riku sits on the ground with his legs spread out, his chubby hands playing with the small Usamimi friends plush tha Iori reluctantly lent to him, seemingly unaware or unconcerned of the eyes that are on him.

Mitsuki is the first to sigh.

“If anything, we should probably figure out how to dress him,” he says, “He can’t keep wearing his own shirt as a dress. It’s pretty chilly today. He’ll get cold.”

“Iorin, don’t you have any doll clothes?” Tamaki asks.

“Why would I have any?” Iori bristles.

“You keep plush toys!”

“That’s different -,”

“Guys,” Mitsuki cuts in, pinching the bridge of his nose, “No fighting in front of Riku. Do you want another episode of him crying his lungs out?”

The pair of highschoolers instantly quiet down, sneaking a glance at the toddler on the floor. Riku bites the ear of the rabbit plush, his drool wetting its blue fur. Iori grimaces, turning away when the scene becomes too much to bear.

“We can ask the manager to buy some on the way,” Sougo suggests, “We can reimburse her with our pay.”

“But that would mean telling her about Riku,” Yamato points out, “Though I guess with our schedule today, we might have to eventually.” He sighs heavily. “I can already imagine what her reaction might be.”

As if on cue, the doorbell rings.

“...I’m not getting that,” Tamaki warns.

“We can’t leave our princess at the door!” Nagi protests, “I’ll get it.”

“Nagi, wait!” Yamato hisses, “We need a game plan - and he’s gone.”

“We’re going to have to tell her eventually,” Iori says with a cross of his arms, “Best get it over with quickly as possible.”

“Well said, Ichi!” Yamato praises, petting the boy on the shoulder, “You go and tell her then.”

“M-me? You’re the leader.  _ You _ tell her,” Iori sputters.

“G-guys,” Sougo frets, “Riku-kun might hear you and cry again -,”

“Hello, everyone!” comes Tsumugi’s cheerful greeting. Everyone in the room freezes, save for Riku who had now moved on to the next plush, the blue rabbit abandoned at his bare feet. 

“M-Manager!” Yamato quickly stands in front of Riku to block him from view when Tsumugi walks into the living room. “G-good morning! You look really great today!”

Tsumugi beams at him. “Thank you, Yamato-san. That’s very kind of you to say.” She glances around the room, taking in the sight of the members gathering in front of her. Their hearts drop when she begins to look confused, her brows furrowing. “Oh, where’s Riku-san? Is he ready yet? We have to leave soon.”

“Ah, about that -,”

Sensing their hesitation, the frown on Tsumugi’s face deepens. “Everyone?”

Mitsuki steps forward. “You see, manager, Riku, he -,”

“Mit-soo-kee-nii?”

Once again, everyone freezes at the sound. There is another clumsy attempt at calling for Mitsuki and it takes everyone a good few seconds before they realize the source of the sound is the toddler on the floor, who is looking at them with wide eyes. All the plush dolls are now abandoned at his feet, each covered with varying amounts of drool. Even the shirt Riku is wearing - makeshift into a dress that is still too big for his body - is wet with his saliva. 

No one speaks, too at a loss for words.

Riku blinks owlishly, unaware of the tension in the room. His gaze slides to meet Tsumugi’s, his lips stretching into a big grin. He lifts his arms. 

“Nee-chan! Carry, carry!” he says excitedly.

“E-eh?” Tsumugi looks bewildered. “Who is that? He looks like Riku-san! Is he a relative who came to visit?”

Mitsuki and Yamato glance at each other nervously. Sougo teeters, also not knowing what to say. Tamaki looks stubbornly away, clearly not wanting to be the one to break the news. Iori is torn between stepping forward and telling her, and being horrified at the state of his treasured Usamimi friends plush toys.

Riku continues to hold up his arms, looking at Tsumugi expectantly.

In the end. Nagi is the one who places a hand on Tsumugi’s shoulder, after the girl bends down and picks the toddler Riku into her arms.

“Isn’t he cute, Manager?” Nagi asks.

Tsumugi nods, smiling at Riku who beams in return. “Very! He looks just like Riku-san. I could have been fooled into thinking it’s just a younger version of him!”

“Oh, as expected of our beautiful manager!” Nagi says with a clap of his hands, “You’re not only beautiful in appearance, but so incredibly smart as well!”

Tsumugi looks at him in confusion. “What do you mean, Nagi-san?”

Nagi grins, tilting his head to the side. He leans forward to whisper into Tsumugi’s ear. “Well, you see…”

The peaceful silence in the area surrounding the dorm is broken with a loud cry of bewilderment. 

_ “Riku-san turned into a toddler?!” _

“A-ah, Manager, don’t shout, Riku will -,”

Another loud cry joins in - a familiar wail of a baby startled by Tsumugi’s outburst. 

“A-ah, Riku-san, I’m sorry!”

“Just give him to me, Manager. I can take care of it.”

A defeated sob. “I’m sorry, Mitsuki-san.”

A heavy sigh. “This is going to be a long day,” Yamato says.

Riku, now appeased and sleeping against Mitsuki’s chest, gripping the front of his shirt, is now once again the center of attention, this time with Tsumugi joining in the fray. She checks her watch and lets out a defeated sigh.

“We have to leave now, in any case,” she says, “Your schedule will start soon and we don’t want to risk any trouble for the staff.”

“But what about Riku-kun?” Sougo asks, “Won’t the staff and fans wonder if he’s not in the broadcast with us?”

Tsumugi looks at the child sleeping against Mitsuki’s chest. “We don’t have a choice. I’ll ask the people back at the office to make an official announcement that Riku-san had fallen ill this morning.” She chews on her bottom lip. “I don’t doubt the fans will be upset, but with Riku-san’s current state…”

“We also have one more predicament,” Iori interrupts.

“What is it, Iori-san?”

Iori jerks his chin to gesture towards Riku.

“Nanase-san is no more than a helpless toddler now. None of us know how he got turned into one in the first place, but that aside...we can’t leave him here all alone.”

“Then what are we supposed to do?” Tamaki asks.

Heads turn to Tsumugi who looks startled by the sudden attention. 

“Well, u-um…” Tsumugi’s face brightens when an idea comes to her. With a clap of her hands, she exclaims, “I know!”

“That’s such a cute baby!” a female staff member gushes, “A splitting image of Nanase-san too!”

“It’s a pity about Nanase-kun,” a male staff member pipes in, “But considering how hard he’s been working lately…”

Tsumugi laughs nervously, tightening her hold on Riku in her arms. “He’s resting well at the dorms. We insisted for him to stay put for today. And um, he’s Riku-san’s little cousin!” she says, gesturing to Riku, “His mother is an employee at our company and had to bring him along, but she had something urgent to take care off and had no one to look after him, so...I offered to bring him along to the schedule!”

The male staff members hums thoughtfully. “I don’t think the director minds having children on the set, but will he be okay? He’s at that age where he’s really restless, isn’t he?”

As if to prove the staff member’s point, Riku begins to wriggle in Tsumugi’s arms, his chubby hands patting her arm to let him go. 

“Nee-chan,” he whines, “Down...down!”

“Oh, how smart!” the female staff member says excitedly, “He already knows how to speak!”

Tsumugi laughs nervously, struggling to keep Riku in his hold. “Yes, he’s a fast learner. And don’t worry! He’s restless because it’s nearly his nap time, so once he wears out, it will be fine! I’ll look after him in the green room in the meantime.” She bows her head, Riku giggling at the sudden gravity pushing him down. “Please excuse the inconvenience.”

The staff members wave their hands dismissively. “As long as you’re sure you’ll be alright, Takanashi-san,” the female staff member says, “But what are we going to do about Nanase-san? Is there anyone going to replace his parts?”

“Ah, yes! Iori-san and Sougo-san will be sharing some of his parts. For the variety segments, Mitsuki-san will handle his lines, if that is alright.”

The male staff member shrugs. “Whatever works, I suppose.” He reaches out to lightly pinch Riku’s cheek, smiling when the toddler giggles at the attention. “He really  _ is  _ cute. If I didn’t know better, I would have thought that’s Nanase-kun.”

Tsumugi could only respond with another nervous laughter.

“Nee-chan, Nee-chan!” Riku says, “Treat?”

“Oh, are you hungry, Riku-san?” Tsumugi asks, “I brought something you can have...let me just find my bag.”

Yamato leans tiredly against the sofa in the green room. “It’s still a little weird hearing you refer to a toddler by an honorific, Manager.”

“E-eh? But Riku-san is Riku-san…” 

“That aside - Manager, what are you going to do after this?” Iori asks, “You have a last minute meeting during our broadcast, don’t you? I don’t think you can bring Nanase-san in with you. It wouldn’t be professional.”

Tsumugi chews her bottom lip again. “That is correct…” She hands Riku a cookie, patting his hair as he excitedly reaches for it before he begins to chew on it. “But I don’t think it’s good to just leave him here alone. Ah...maybe bringing him here isn’t a good idea, after all.”

“We could call Banri-san to pick him up,” Sougo suggests.

Tsumugi shakes her head. “He has work with the President today. I couldn’t bother him.”

“Then -,”

A series of knocks on the door interrupts them. Tsumugi turns to the door, her expression scrunched up in confusion. “I wonder who that is. I don’t think it’s time for standby yet.” She hurries over to the door, placing her hand on the doorknob before twisting it. When she pulls the door open, her eyes widen in surprise when she sees the people standing at the door.

A surprise that quickly turns into panic.

“TRIGGER?!”

Gaku grins at Tsumugi, raising his hand for a friendly wave. “Hey, Takanashi-san.”

Ryuu waves from behind Gaku. “We heard IDOLiSH7 has a schedule today, so we thought we’d drop by to say our greetings. We were just done with ours.”

“O-oh!” Tsumugi says, her words coming out more stuttered than she intended, “I wasn’t aware TRIGGER had a schedule at the same place as IDOLiSH7.” She bows her head. “Please accept my apology. We should have greeted you first instead of making you come all the way here.”

“We’re here now, so it doesn’t matter,” Tenn says with a sigh, “Takanashi-san, aren’ you going to let us in? Or are we just going to exchange words entirely at the door?”

“Tenn,” Gaku warns.

“No. no!” Tsumugi says quickly, “I - um, we were just -,”

“A-ah, don’t touch that!” Mitsuki’s voice drifts from the background, “You’re not supposed to drink that - Old man, why did you bring beer to work?!”

“Oh, oops. That was from last night’s trip to the convenient store. Must have forgotten to take it out. Sorry.” A laugh. “Why not have him try it? He’s technically an adult if it weren’t for what happened to him now.”

“Remind me to never let Nikaido-san near children,” Iori says tiredly.

Gaku blinks. “Sounds really lively back there. What’s going on?”

Tsumugi’s voice is becoming more and more high-pitched with panic, even more so when she notices Tenn’s suspicious stare on her. “It’s nothing to worry about. We just had a -,”

“Nee-chan.”

Tsumugi freezes. She shakily looks down and sees Riku clinging onto her leg, looking at her with watery eyes. “Nee-chan,” he says again, “Hungry. Want more cookies!”

Tsumugi hears a sharp intake of breath. She doesn’t dare to look up at Tenn’s face. Hearing his voice is more than enough to make her heart drop all the way to her stomach.

“...Riku?”

Riku blinks at the sound of his name, turning from Tsumugi to look at Tenn. It takes him a few seconds, but he breaks into a large grin and giggles excitedly at the sight of Tenn.

“Tenn-nii!” he exclaims, “Tenn-nii is so big now!”

Tenn, Gaku, and Ryuu stare at the toddler in front of them, their expressions varying degrees of confusion. Riku is already running over to wrap his arms around Tenn’s leg. “Tenn-nii!” he cries out excitedly, “Tenn-nii so big and tall! Amazing!”

Tenn blinks at the child gripping his leg, before his attention returns to Tsumugi. 

“Why is Riku a child?” 

“Oh, it looks like TRIGGER found out,” Yamato says, surprisingly unconcerned, “Well that makes things easier, isn’t it?”

“Y-Yamato-san?” Tsumugi asks in confusion, “What do you mean?”

“You needed someone to look after Riku, don’t you? If TRIGGER is done with their work for today, why don’t you ask them for a favor to look after him while we work?”

“Eh?! I c-can’t do that -!”

“Manager’s right, you know,” Sougo points out, “We can’t just trouble TRIGGER like that.”

“We’re going to have to figure out something. We have to be in standby in 15 minutes,” Yamato argues, “And besides, I don’t think Kujou over here would mind taking care of his own little brother, does he?”

Tenn narrows his eyes at the mention of his name. “Don’t just say that easily, Nikaido Yamato. Don’t I get a say in this matter?”

Ryuu holds up his hands in a placating manner. His experience with Tenn and Gaku makes him hyper-aware of potential fights, and he is already sensing one between Tenn and Yamato. “Now, now, I’m sure we can talk this out -,”

“Um….guys?”

Heads turn to look at Tamaki, who suddenly has a nervous look on his face.

“Tamaki, why do you look as if Sougo is chasing you with a knife?” Nagi asks innocently.

“Don’t make such a comparison…” Sougo mutters underneath his breath. 

“Guys,” Tamaki repeats, his voice full of fear, “I think Rikkun is about to explode again.”

It is only then everyone turns to Riku again, who had been ignored the entire time. His eyes are watery and his bottom lip trembles as he clings onto Tenn’s leg. 

“Uh oh,” is the last thing everyone hears from Yamato before Riku parts his lips and lets out a wailing cry.

“Tenn-nii!” he wails, “Tenn-nii won’t talk to Riku?” 

“Tenn, do something about it!” Gaku shouts over the cry, his hands over his ears, “Holy cow, this kid can  _ scream. _ ”

“Why me?” Tenn says helplessly.

“He’s calling  _ your  _ name.”

Riku’s cries are relentless, all the while still clinging onto Tenn’s leg like a lifeline. Tsumugi is torn between comforting Riku and looking outside to see if anyone caught on with the commotion. When Riku finally lets go of Tenn’s leg to lie on the floor, flailing his limbs as he cries, Tenn finally snaps out from his brief shock.

He crouches in front of the toddler Riku, patting the boy’s cheek once to get his attention.

“Riku,” he says gently, “Tenn-nii is here. Why are you crying? Are you upset?”

“Tenn-nii won’t talk to me!” Riku wails, still lying on the floor as tears pour down his cheeks, “Tenn-nii is being mean and won’t talk to Riku!”

“Sounds like an everyday occurrence,” Gaku mumbles under his breath. Tenn glares at him before kicking him swiftly in the shin, earning a pained cry from the man. “You brat -!”

“I’m sorry, Riku,” Tenn says as if nothing happened, ignoring Gaku’s grumble in the background, “Tenn-nii was just distracted. You’re right, I was wrong.” He pats Riku’s cheek again, coaxing the toddler to look at him. He gives Riku a smile when the child meets his gaze, his hand moving from Riku’s cheek to pat his hair. “Why don’t Riku spend time with Tenn-nii today while we wait for your friends to be done with work?”

Riku sits up, looking at Tenn with a bright expression. “Tenn-niii will play with Riku?”

“Mm.”

“Can we have snacks together?”

Tenn chuckles. “Not too much. We don’t want you to have an upset tummy.”

“And play lots and lots of games?” Riku insists.

“If that is what Riku wants.”

“Yay!” Riku cheers, throwing himself into Tenn’s embrace, “Tenn-nii is the best!”

Tenn’s expression softens, returning Riku’s hug. 

“Are you sure, Kujou-san?” Tsumugi asks worriedly, “We would appreciate the help, but we also wouldn’t want to take any of your time…”

“It’s fine.” Tenn gathers Riku into his arms before getting back onto his feet. With Riku’s arms wrapped around his neck, he looks at Tsumugi with a collected expression. “Like Ryuu said, our schedules ended anyway. I can’t speak for Ryuu and Gaku, but at the very least, I’m free for today.” He smiles when Riku kisses his cheek, nuzzling the boy’s nose for a bit before looking at Tsumugi as if he didn’t just made a very heartwarming display of affection. “I can take care of him for a while.”

“As expected of Tenn,” Gaku comments, “He can’t say no when it comes to Riku.”

Yamato smirks. “This is why I asked him in the first place.”

Tenn decides to ignore them both in favor of nuzzling Riku’s hair.

“Um, this is all still very confusing,” Ryuu says, scratching the back of his head, “But Tenn’s right. I’m free for today too. I can help in looking after Riku-kun for the time being. What about you, Gaku?”

Gaku looks surprised to be suddenly addressed. “Eh, oh. Sure, I guess. Anesagi-san didn’t text me anything so far so I’m assuming I’ll be free for the rest of the day.” He smiles at Tsumugi. “Don’t worry. TRIGGER will look after Nanase no problem.”

“Thank you so much, Yaotome-san!” Tsumugi says gratefully, “You too, Kujou-san, Tsunashi-san!”

“You best go,” Tenn says to the rest of IDOLiSH7, “I’m sure your recording is going to start soon.”

After everyone exits the room save for TRIGGER and Riku, Tenn looks at Riku in his arms, who stares back at him with a bright, happy smile. One that Tenn softly returns.

“Now then, what should we do today, Riku?” he asks.

“We agreed to this, but now that I have time to really think about it…” Gaku stares at the child in Tenn’s arms. “Aren’t you a bit too accepting of this, Tenn?”

Tenn bounces Riku on his lap, letting the child grab his finger in his small fist. “What do you mean, Gaku?”

“Nanase was turned into a child!” Gaku exclaims, “Aren’t you even just a  _ little  _ bit concerned? His friends didn’t even explain how it happened.”

“They seemed as frazzled about it as we are,” Ryuu reasons, “And if it only happened recently, maybe they didn’t have time to worry about it.” Ryuu pauses. “Ah, so this is what they meant then. The social media post that announced Riku-kun was sick...I was worried he caught a bug or something, but it looks like the problem’s a lot...different than I thought.”

Riku blows a bubble on Tenn’s palm, making a pleased sound when Tenn tickles him for it in return. 

“Tenn-nii, stop!” he squeals, “That tickles!”

“That’s what you get for drooling on big brother,” Tenn teases, his fingers continue to poke at Riku’s sides, making the boy laugh some more.

Gaku sighs heavily. “Well, at least Tenn seems happy about it.”

Ryuu smiles with exasperated fondness. “When it comes to Riku-kun, it’s not that hard to make Tenn happy, I guess.”

“I can hear everything you say, you know,” Tenn says without looking at the two of them, “And besides, if we spend too much time worrying how Riku became like this, we’ll end up ignoring Riku all together. Would you like a repeat of him wailing at you?”

Gaku and Ryuu immediately shake their heads, their terrified expressions answering Tenn’s question on their own. Tenn nods in satisfaction before returning his attention to Riku. “Then it’s fine. As long as it doesn’t last too long, I’m sure Takanashi Productions and IDOLiSH7 won’t have too much trouble dealing with it.”

Riku turns his body so he faces him before leaning in to press a kiss on Tenn’s cheek, making Tenn smile even wider.

“Besides,” he says, “Riku’s too much of an angel to cause any trouble. Isn’t that right, Riku?”

Riku beams, showing his gums. “Tenn-nii angel!”

“No, you are,” Tenn coos.

“Tenn really is happy about this, isn’t he?” Ryuu whispers to Gaku.

“Riku’s a cute kid as he is...as a toddler, not even Tenn could resist him,” Gaku answers. As if he remembered something, he reaches inside his duffle bag - one he brought over from their own green room - and fishes out a small book. Walking over to where Tenn is sitting on the sofa with Riku, Gaku crouches down the pair, his eyes meeting Riku’s.

“Would you like a gift, Riku?”

Tenn narrows his eyes suspiciously, pulling Riku away. “What are you doing, Gaku?” He looks at Riku. “Don’t go near this guy, Riku. He’s very bad.”

“Very bad…” Riku echoes while blinking owlishly.

“Hey now, don’t say that,” Gaku protests, “Don’t listen to this guy, Riku. He may be sweet in front of you, but he’s a two-faced hedgehog.”

Riku tilts his head. “Hedge...hog…?”

“You  _ guys _ ,” Ryuu says exasperatedly, “Don’t confuse the poor kid. What is it that you want to give him, Gaku? Oh, isn’t that the gift you received the other day?”

“Mm. It’s one of those coloring books you can spend on when you’re bored,” Gaku explains, “But art isn’t really my forte so…” He hands the book to Riku, urging the boy to take it, “Here, why don’t you color something pretty for us?”

“Do you even have coloring pencils on you?” Tenn asks with a raise of an eyebrow. 

“I have highlighters for my scripts…”

Tenn sighs. “You really didn’t think this through, did you, Gaku?”

“It’s the thought that counts!”

“Tenn-nii,” Riku cuts in, “Color, color! Can Riku color?”

“See, he likes it!” Gaku says triumphantly.

“I’ll go find some coloring pencils from the staff,” Ryuu offers, “I know some of them bring their kids from time to time. Maybe they would have one on hand. I’ll be right back.”

“Riku can color?” Riku asks Tenn. 

“Mm,” Tenn nods, “Just wait a while, okay? And…” He sighs again, gesturing to Gaku half-heartedly. “What do you say to the person who gave you this present, Riku?”

Riku turns to Gaku, bowing his head clumsily before smiling. “Thank you, very bad guy!”

By the time Ryuu returns with the coloring pencils, he finds Tenn snickering on the sofa, while Gaku looks at Riku with a dumbfounded expression. Riku sees Ryuu before he spots the coloring pencils in his hands.

“Coloring pencils!” he shouts, “Tenn-nii, Tenn-nii! Riku wants to color now!”

Tenn takes a few seconds to properly answer, still laughing his head off where he is while Gaku looks as though he hasn’t recovered from...whatever that was that happened to him.

“Um…” Ryuu hesitates, “Do I want to know?”

“Maybe Riku could tell you,” Tenn snickers.

Gaku slumps his shoulders. “Don’t ask, Ryuu.”

Tenn recovers long enough to take the coloring pencils and give them to Riku. He opens the coloring book for him, landing on a page that looks simple enough for a toddler to color.

“Here, Riku,” Tenn says, “Why don’t you color this pretty flower for me?”

“Okay!” Riku’s chubby fingers close around a random color pencil and immediately start coloring the picture. Tenn has never seen a flower with a pink stem, but he can give Riku props for creativity. “Look, Tenn-nii. This color...like Tenn-nii’s hair!”

“Huh, it kinda is, isn’t it?” Ryuu notes, “Are you making a Tenn flower, Riku?”

“Ryuu,” Tenn says weakly, “Don’t give him ideas…”

“Riku is not  _ making  _ a Tenn-nii flower,” Riku replies, “Tenn-nii already  _ is  _ a flower.”

There is a significant pause before Tenn makes a strangled sound at the back of his throat, as though he is about to cry.

“Riku, you really are a good kid…”

“I’m happy for you, Tenn,” Gaku deadpans. Ryuu could only chuckle nervously.

It is about 45 minutes later when Gaku receives a text message from Tsumugi.

_ Yaotome-san! IDOLiSH7 finished their rehearsals and will finally record the real thing on TV. I heard it will air in about 5 minutes, so why don’t you let Riku-san watch it in the green room? Thank you and sorry for the inconvenience! _

“Their actual broadcast is going to start?” Ryuu asks, peering over Gaku’s shoulder to read the text. “We don’t want Riku-kun to get too excited on set, so Tsumugi-chan has the right idea to ask him to watch it on TV instead. Tenn, can you get the remote?”

Tenn reaches for the remote on the coffee table, careful to maneuver around Riku who is still coloring pictures on the floor. He switches on the TV and the screen opens up to a commercial done by TRIGGER themselves.

It’s a promotion for their newest single, Treasure, and when Riku hears Tenn singing his part, Riku drops the crayon and cranes his neck to look at the TV.

“It’s Tenn-nii!” he screams excitedly, “Tenn-nii so big and cool!”

“Am I really cool, Riku?” Tenn asks sweetly.

“Mmph!” Riku raises his arms, asking to be picked up. “Tenn-nii, Riku want to go close!”

“Alright, alright. But not too close, okay? Won’t want to ruin your eyes so early on.” He picks Riku up and holds him close enough to the TV so he can take a good look at the brief performance. Tenn is singing the bridge now, bringing the mic closer to himself as Gaku and Ryuu dance around him. Riku makes another excited squeal, clapping his hands together. 

“Waah, Tenn-nii so cool!”

“Praise him more like that, and Tenn would just float right out from this room with how big his head is getting,” Gaku says in amusement.

“Gaku…” Ryuu chides weakly.

Tenn doesn’t seem to notice neither Gaku’s nor Ryuu’s words. Instead, he is focused on the little boy in his arms, the smile on his face growing more and more nostalgic. 

Although Riku still cheers and admires him as an idol today, his little brother’s heart is also weighed down with the memory of Tenn leaving their family behind and the fights and misunderstandings that happened between them when they reunited several years later. Tenn had seen the smile on Riku’s face slip every now and then, his happiness for Tenn marred by a certain amount of bitterness.

Now, looking at him cheering for him even if it's for just a small promotional video on TV, so unrestrainedly happy… it makes him long for the past again. When both of them were a lot happier.

“Tenn-nii, look -...Tenn-nii?” Riku had turned back to look at him, his smile disappearing when he saw the look on Tenn’s face. He reaches out to press a small hand against his older brother's cheek, his expression worried. “Tenn-nii is okay?”

Tenn surprises Riku by pulling the boy closer towards himself before hugging him close, pressing his face at the crook of Riku’s neck. He inhales the boy’s familiar scent and closes his eyes.

“Tenn-nii is alright, Riku,” he says, “I was just...remembering things, that’s all.”

As Tenn holds Riku close, Gaku and Ryuu do not say a single word, their faces a mask of understanding. All the while, Riku could only let himself be hugged by his suddenly very big older brother, unsure why he could feel Tenn trembling slightly as he hugs Riku.

IDOLiSH7’s segment on the live broadcast lasts for another 30 minutes. Riku claps and marvels at his teammates performances, cheering the loudest among the four of them while Tenn watches on fondly. 15 minutes later after the segments end, there is a knock on the door before it swings open and six boys pile into the room.

“It’s over!” Tamaki exclaims, making a beeline for the nearest sofa. He collapses next to Ryuu, who offers him an iced bottled water from the fridge.

“Good work today,” Ryuu says.

Tamaki peeks at the bottle before accepting it gratefully, downing half of it in one go. “How’s Rikkun?”

“Honestly, Yotsuba-san,” Iori scolds, “You could have startled Nanase-san and make him cry again.”

“But I didn’t!” Tamaki grumbles. He searches for the aforementioned boy, pointing towards him with a triumphant grin when he finds Riku sitting on Tenn’s lap, eyes wide but otherwise not crying. “See? He doesn’t seem upset!”

“I hope Riku wasn't too much trouble,” Mitsuki says. He crouches in front of Riku, grinning at the boy. “Were you a good boy to these onii-sans, Riku?”

Riku nods. “Riku good boy! Right, Tenn-nii?”

“Riku had been nothing short of an angel,” Tenn confirms.

“Yes, well, I suppose I can take your word for it,” Mitsuki says with a laugh.

“Everyone...cool!” Riku exclaims, “Dance and sing...very cool!”

Yamato chuckles. “Even with Riku’s current limited vocabulary, that praise was really touching.” 

“Are you guys leaving soon?” Gaku asks.

“Yes,” Sougo confirms, “Once Manager is done with the post-broadcast meeting, we’ll be heading back to the dorms.” He hesitates. “There is one thing that we’ve been worried about while we were on the way back here, though.”

“Oh? What is it?” Gaku questions.

“The dorm isn’t really a good place to raise a kid,” Mitsuki says with a sigh, “Especially one as young as Riku currently is. Most of them have little to no experience to take care of a kid and I have another schedule later tonight. Not to mention the dorm is a safety hazard…”

“I love Riku with all my heart but if he breaks my Magical Cocona dolls or drools on them, I will show him no mercy,” Nagi says seriously.

“...I have to keep Roppu-chan away from him,” Iori mutters.

“As you can see…” Mitsuki says with a sigh, “We were thinking of asking our manager but…”

“In that case,” Tenn interrupts. Everyone looks at him in curiosity. Tenn continues to bounce Riku on his knee as if nothing is out of the ordinary.

“Why don’t I take care of him for the night?” he suggests.

“Thank you again and I’m really sorry for the trouble,” Tsumugi bows for the umpteenth time in front of the company building. “Let me know if Riku-san needs anything - like baby clothes or food or -,”

“Don’t worry about it, Takanashi-san,” Gaku says, “Hopefully whatever that happened to Nanase won’t last very long. To be honest, it’s still rather bizarre thinking about it.”

“You’re right…” Tsumugi admits, “In any case, if there are any changes, please let me know immediately.” She turns to Tenn. “Kujou-san, please take care of Riku-san for us.”

Tenn nods. “I’ll make sure nothing happens to Takanashi Productions’ talent.”

“You mean you’ll make sure nothing happens to your brother,” Gaku points out dryly.

“Tsumugi-chan, I think the rest are waiting for you in the car,” Ryuu says, “Don’t worry about Riku-kun and focus on getting some rest. You can leave Riku-kun to us.”

“Thank you, Tsunashi-san,” Tsumugi answers gratefully. Finally, she turns to look at Riku in Tenn’s arms, patting his hair gently. “Riku-san, be a good boy to them, okay?”

Riku nods eagerly. “Mmph! Bye-bye, Nee-chan!”

“Mm. Bye-bye, Riku-san. See you tomorrow.”

After the three watch Tsumugi drive off with the boys, Ryuu heaves a sigh. “I’m glad today is Anesagi-san’s day off. It would be difficult to explain why we suddenly have a toddler version of Riku-kun in our care today.”

“You really couldn’t make it more obvious that you want to spend time with Nanase, could you?” Gaku says, crossing his arms, “If only you were this honest with yourself when Nanase was his usual grown-up self.”

Tenn doesn’t seem to be paying attention, or rather, he pretends not to. Instead, he is looking at Riku tenderly. “Are you ready to go home with me, Riku?”

“Waah!” Riku throws his arms in the air excitedly. “Riku gets to play with Tenn-nii some more!”

Tenn chuckles. “Yes, won’t that be fun?”

“You know,” Ryuu says faintly in the background, “We live in the same apartment too. That’s  _ my  _ home we’re going to…”

Neither Gaku and Ryuu would have expected that the moment they reached Ryuu’s apartment that night was to witness Riku immediately running around to see every inch of the room he could. He’s still unsteady on his feet, fumbling about every now and then, but they’re left dumbstruck at how much  _ energy  _ this child has.

Tenn, however, looks as though he’s more than used to it, catching up to Riku with seemingly no problem at all before scooping Riku back into his arms.

“Is Nanase...always this...um, hyperactive?” Gaku asks.

“He couldn’t go outside very often because of his condition,” Tenn explains, “So our parents and I used to make do with entertaining him indoors. We played tag a lot, among other things. If he was in better health, Riku had a  _ lot  _ of energy to spend.” He pats Riku’s back to calm him down when the boy begins to wriggle in his hold. “He’s probably finding places to hide. It’s a habit.”

“He looks no older than three,” Gaku protests, “How early did you guys start playing such games?”

Tenn shrugs. “His condition started when he was two. We had to make do very early.”

Gaku doesn’t ask anything else after that.

“Are any of you hungry?” Ryuu asks, swiftly changing the subject, “I can cook something if you guys are. I’ll make something for Riku-kun too.”

Tenn turns to Ryuu gratefully. “That would be great, Ryuu. I’m not all that hungry, but it would be good for Riku to get something proper to eat. All he had today was cookies.”

“Cookies!” Riku pipes in.

“No more cookies,” Tenn chides, “It’s quite late so hm…Ryuu, can you make him something simple and not too heavy? I don’t want to upset his stomach if he eats too much before bed.   


“I can make him some omurice,” Ryuu suggests, “Not too much, I guess. Riku-kun likes omurice, doesn’t he?”

“Omurice!” Riku chimes.

“What is he, a parrot?” Gaku mumbles, “I’ll help you, Ryuu. I can make some for myself while I’m at it.”

“Eh, are you sure? I can make it for you if you want.”

“Nah, I don’t think Nanase can handle heavy ingredients in his food yet. Definitely less salt and pepper, for starters.” He glances at Tenn. “You should freshen up while we cook. Maybe give Nanase a bath. You look like you could use a relaxing bath yourself.”

“Alright then,” Tenn says with a nod before looking at Riku again. “Riku, wanna take a bath together?”

“A bath!”

“Definitely a parrot,” Gaku mumbles underneath his breath. 

_ “Gaku, _ ” Ryuu chides, “Tenn, if you need fresh clothes for Riku-kun, I left the folded laundry on your bed this morning. I’m sure there’s something small enough you can make into makeshift baby clothes. Tsumugi-chan said she’ll drop off some baby clothes later tonight for him to wear tomorrow.”

Tenn nods in response. He adjusts his grip on Riku in his arms before walking towards the bathroom at the end of the hallway.

“Can we play with Mr. Ducky?” Riku asks as Tenn sits him down on the plastic stool. 

“Mr. Ducky is at Mom and Dad’s home, Riku,” Tenn reminds gently, “What about we play make believe instead?”

Riku’s face brightens up considerably. “Riku wants to be a pirate! Arr!” He curls his fingers into claws, pretending to growl at Tenn.

“Oh, how scary,” Tenn says with a smile, “Then, I’ll be the handsome prince who becomes friends with the pirate. Together, they set sail to find a hidden treasure in the seas.”

“Treasure!” Riku cheers, raising his arms. Tenn takes the opportunity to take off his shirt before pulling off Riku’s pants. Once the child is completely undressed, Tenn rolls his sleeves before reaching for the shower head.

“I’ll wash you now and we can take a bath together later, okay?”

“Okay!”

The process ends up being no trouble at all. Tenn remembers stories from his mother that Riku used to put up a fuss as a child whenever it’s time for a bath, and it’s always the promise of being able to take at least one toy with him and having Tenn to bathe with him that makes him relent. Riku doesn’t have a toy to coax him into bathing now, but he’s well-behaved and compliant as Tenn washes him down. 

Tenn fills the bathtub while he washes Riku and by the time he’s done, the water is enough to reach up til Riku’s chest if he sits in it. Tenn quickly undresses and washes himself before he grabs Riku into his arms again and slowly eases himself into the bathtub.

Gaku is right about one thing. The moment he lets himself be soaked in warm water, he could feel the tension in his body easing away. He’s been so preoccupied with Riku that he momentarily forgot how  _ stressful  _ the day had been. 

He lets Riku lean against his chest, keeping the boy in place with his knees at Riku’s sides. “Do you want to play pretend now?”

Riku makes an excited noise, splashing the water with his hands. “Mmph! Find treasure!”

Tenn’s eyes soften. “Mm. Let’s go find that treasure.”

They end up staying in the bath for about half an hour, with Tenn spinning tales of faraway islands and adventures at the seas for Riku’s entertainment. Just as Tenn finishes the story of the prince and the pirate finding a beautiful golden-haired mermaid, Tenn hears a knock on the bathroom door. Gaku’s voice drifts in shortly after. “Ryuu’s done with the omurice. Are you guys done with your bath?”

“We’re finishing up,” Tenn replies, “I’ll take Riku to the kitchen soon.”

“Alright.”

“Eh? We’re done playing?” Riku pouts, “But we haven’t found the treasure yet!”

“The seas are getting rough. There is a storm coming.” Tenn splashes the water a little for effect. “We should quickly return to land.” He smiles comfortingly. “We’ll continue the search tomorrow morning, okay? For now, Ryuu made us yummy food. Pirates need to eat to grow big and strong, after all.”

Riku makes a sound of wonder. “Omurice?”

“Mm. Omurice.”

“Yay!”

With a laugh, Tenn holds Riku before climbing out of the tub. “Let’s get you warmly dressed before we have dinner together, o’ brave pirate.”

Tenn dresses him up in one of his smaller shirts, tying the end of the fabric firmly just above Riku’s knees so it doesn’t flap around at every movement. When he holds out his arms, Riku goes into them willingly and readily, flashing Tenn his gummy smile.

It makes Tenn’s heart grow warm. Riku has always been cute, but seeing him like this - small and defenseless and unrestrainedly happy -, it reminds Tenn of how grateful he is to have Riku as his younger sibling. 

By the time they reach the kitchen, Ryuu and Gaku are seated at the table, each having a plate of omurice in front of them. Tenn’s share is waiting for him at his seat, while Riku’s share is served in a smaller bowl next to Tenn’s plate. Without a baby chair in their apartment, Tenn balances Riku on his lap as he sits at the table, one hand reaching for the wooden spoon placed next to his own metal one.

“I hope the omurice is fine,” Ryuu says, sounding a little worried, “I used to cook for my younger brothers all the time and I know how picky children can be at this age. I didn’t put as much spices as I usually would because I don’t want to risk Riku-kun getting sick…”

“I’m sure it will be fine,” Tenn says, “If anything, you’ll know immediately if Riku doesn’t like it. He’s very honest...especially at this age.”

Tenn scoops some of the rice onto the spoon before he presses it gently against Riku’s mouth to coax him into eating. Thankfully, Riku doesn’t put up any fuss and eats the rice fed to him. Everyone at the table waits with bated breath as Riku chews on the rice thoughtfully before swallowing it.

When the child lets out a happy grin, Ryuu finds himself letting out a relieved sigh.

“Yummy!” Riku says, “Like Mom’s omurice. Tenn-nii, Riku wants more!”

“What do you say?” Tenn reminds.

Riku smiles sweetly at him - the type of smile that would melt anyone’s heart.

“Please, Tenn-nii.”

“Good boy,” Tenn praises, feeding him another spoonful. “Isn’t that great, Ryuu? Your cooking earned Riku’s approval.”

“That felt more nerve-wracking than any awards show,” Ryuu confesses.

“I’ll bet,” Gaku says around his own spoon.

After Riku is done eating and Tenn finishes his own dinner, Tenn excuses himself to finally tuck Riku in for bed. “I’ll retire, too,” he says, “Send my greetings to Takanashi-san for me when she comes over later.”

Gaku nods. “Will do.”

That night, Tenn lies in bed with Riku, pressing the little boy close to his chest. Riku turns out to be more tired than he thought, his body almost immediately relaxing as Tenn sings him to sleep. His hands grasp the front of Tenn’s shirt as his eyes slide shut.

“Tomorrow...Riku...will play with Tenn-nii...again?” he asks sleepily.

Tenn closes his eyes, pulling Riku closer. “Yes, we will,” he whispers softly, “We’ll spend more time together, Riku.”

Oh how he wishes for it. Before long, Tenn too, falls asleep.

Tenn feels Riku waking up before he sees him. He could tell that the boy had already returned back to normal judging from the length of the body pressed up against him. Their bare legs are tangled together, even more so when Riku starts to shift.

“U-um,” he says, sounding embarrassed, “Tenn-nii, I don’t know how I got here but -,” Before Riku could pull away, Tenn pulls him back closer, his hand against the boy’s back. 

“Stay here a little while longer,” he says softly without opening his eyes.

_ Stay with your Tenn-nii just a little while longer. _


	2. extra

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An extra chapter for a friend's birthday ^^

It happened again.

“I’m starting to think that there is something cursed about this dorm.” Mitsuki says warily. “What are we going to do about this situation this time around?”

“You can’t call it a curse!” Nagi dismays. “Someone as cute as Riku couldn’t ever be called a curse!”

“That’s not the point…”

Sitting in front of them minding his own business as he chews on Iori’s plushie without a care in the world is none other than Riku. The toddler version of Riku, that is. The entire group is filled with a sense of deja vu looking at this child in front of them - after all, it’s not the first time this happened.

“There is good news and bad news about this current situation.” Iori says diplomatically. “Which one do you want to hear first?”

“The bad news.” Yamato says warily.

“The bad news is that most of us have our individual schedules for today so there won’t be anyone looking after Nanase-san in the dorm.”

The rest of the groups exchange glances. Sougo is the first one to look at Iori again. “And the good news?” he asks.

“Nanase-san is the only one who has a day off today. Manager said he needed it after working for two weeks in a row without a break. So that means we don’t need to come up with some excuse as to why Nanase-san isn’t at work today.”

“That  _ is  _ a relief,” Mitsuki relents, “- but we don’t have anyone to take care of Riku, regardless. We can’t just  _ leave _ him here. He’s what…” Mitsuki turns to Riku. “Riku, how old are you?”

Riku looks at him cheerfully. “Four years old!”

“He’s four.” Mitsuki continues. 

“I don’t see what’s the problem here.” Tamaki yawns. “TenTen is free today, isn’t he? He said so himself in his social media. Wanted to do...what was it...self…” Tamaki squints. “Self-reflection or whatever.”

“That’s all the more reason we couldn’t disturb him!” Sougo says, aghast. “We disturbed him last time too, remember?”

“Well, we wouldn’t know if we don’t ask.” Yamato points out. “Besides, I think Riku over there would be pleased if he could spend the day with his Tenn-nii. Isn’t that right, Riku?”

Riku perks up at the mention of Tenn. “Riku can see Tenn-nii?” he asks excitedly. His eyes sparkle even at just the idea of it. 

“See?” Yamato says smugly.

“Well, I guess there isn’t any harm just asking.” Mitsuki relents. “I’ll go call him.”

Tenn’s answer is made clear when he arrives at the IDOLiSH7 dorm a mere 10 minutes later.

“How did you even get here so fast?” Iori squints.

“I was in the area.” Tenn says breezily. “Here, a gift.”

He hands Iori a plastic bag filled with snacks before walking past him inside the dorm. Having gone here many times before - perhaps more than he would like to admit - Tenn has the floor map of the dorm completely memorized. Without waiting for Iori to even catch up to him, Tenn makes his way to the living room and the first thing he sees is a familiar tuft of red hair.

“Tenn-nii!” Riku squeals, letting go of the book he had been reading in favor of running up to his brother. Tenn couldn’t stop the smile from pulling his lips as he bends down and scoops up the toddler before pressing Riku against his body in a warm hug. 

“I miss you!” Riku says. “Tenn-nii is here to play with Riku?”

“Mm-hm.” Tenn says. “Your Tenn-nii will play with you today.” 

“Thanks for agreeing to do this, Kujou-san.” Sougo says apologetically. “Especially since it’s your day off and all.” 

“It’s no trouble.” Tenn says without taking his eyes off Riku. “Gaku and Ryuu have their own schedules today and I don’t really have anything planned so it works out.”

_ Even if it doesn’t, you would have made sure you did _ , comes the thought that flashes across everyone else’s minds. 

“In any case, we already informed our manager of the situation, so she’ll have some supplies sent over to the dorm later.” Iori says. “I’m sure we don’t need to tell you to not let anyone else see Nanase-san in the way he is in right now.”

“Stop your needless worrying.” Tenn says with a roll of his eyes. “Just go to your schedules already. I didn’t know IDOLiSH7 were a tardy bunch.” He smiles at Riku. “Go wave goodbye to these big oafs, Riku. They won’t go otherwise.”

Unaware of the hidden meaning of his brother’s words, Riku turns cheerfully towards the rest of his group before waving his chubby little hands at them. “See you later!” he says happily. “Bye bye!”

_ How cute, _ everyone thinks.

Yamato heaves a sigh. “You heard ‘em. Let’s go. I think Manager is already waiting for some of us at the shooting location.” he says with a nod towards Iori and Mitsuki before jerking towards the front door. “Come on. Riku will be fine for a day.”

“If this thing lasts for only a day,” Mitsuki reminds, “which of course, I hope to be the case.”

Riku waves his hands again as he watches his friends go with Tenn at the door. Once the last of them fade away from sight, Tenn lifts Riku into his arms again, smiling when his little brother squeals in excitement. 

“What should we do today, Riku?”

“Dress up!” Riku says happily. 

“Dress up?”

As though in cue, the doorbell rings again. Furrowing his brows, Tenn balances Riku in his arms and presses the button on the intercom. The video flickers to life and an office lady appears on the screen.

“Who is it?” Tenn asks.

“I’m from Takanashi Productions.” the woman says. “I’m here on behalf of Takanashi Tsumugi-san to send some things over. I can’t afford to stay for long so I’ll leave it at the door, if you don’t mind.”

“Please do.”

Tenn watches as the woman places the plastic bag at the door. She bows slightly before swinging on her heels and walking away. Tenn waits until the woman is out of sight before he opens the door and quickly takes the plastic bag.

The things must have been what Iori had meant earlier. He sees a folded note first, the words polite but hastily written across the paper. It’s from Tsumugi, who apologized for the inconvenience and thanked Tenn for taking care of Riku on behalf of IDOLiSH7. There are some snacks and drinks for Riku as well as a couple of clothes.

Actually, there are quite a lot of clothes in this plastic bag, ranging from casual wear to something that seems more suited for halloween than for everyday wear.

“Dress up!” Riku repeats. “I told nee-chan that I wanted to play dress up today!”

Ah, so that’s what he meant.

“This is a lot of clothes.” Tenn comments. “Did your manager buy all of these for you?”

Riku purses his lips as he thinks. “Riku doesn’t know!” he decides in the end. “But nee-chan knows Riku wants to play dress up today so...maybe…?”

Regardless, at least Tenn knows how to keep Riku entertained for the day. He puts aside the snacks and drinks before he lays out all the clothing in the plastic bag. There are mini jumpers and sweaters and pants among others. He lifts up one particular ensemble that appears to be a pumpkin designed dress. There are even matching hats and boots to complete the look.

Riku already has one outfit in his chubby little hands. “Riku wants this one!” he exclaims.

‘This one’ is a bat superhero outfit, complete with the mask and cape. Riku clumsily ties the cape around his shoulder before standing proudly to show Tenn. “Tenn-nii, look! Riku is a superhero!”

Tenn doesn’t fight the smile from his face. “Riku, you’re not even wearing the entire outfit. Here. Let me help you.”

Before long, Tenn has Riku dressed up fully in the superhero outfit from top to bottom and is now watching fondly as his little brother dashes across the room, his cape flying behind him. Riku looks so small and adorable like this, even more so with the costume practically swallowing him whole, that Tenn couldn’t resist sneaking in a couple of pictures with his phone.

“Tenn-nii, Tenn-nii! Riku wants to try another one!”

“Okay.” Tenn chuckles. “What about this jumper with the bear picture in front?”

“Okay!”

And so, that is how the siblings end up spending the rest of their afternoon. Tenn changes Riku’s outfit from one to another - from a dashing suit to a cute jumpsuit to another costume. Riku seems to immensely enjoy himself, even posing for Tenn’s camera every now and then. 

“Give Tenn-nii a peace sign, Riku.” Tenn says, holding his phone up.

Riku complies, doing a clumsy spin with it. “Like this?”

“Just like that.”

Tenn doesn’t know what caused Riku’s physical regression to a toddler, but right now, all he could feel is gratitude because it gives him the chance to add more to his Riku photo collection -

Coughs. Anyway.

“You’re so cute, Riku.” Tenn sighs dreamily. “Let’s try this little red riding hood outfit next.”

Riku beams. “Okay!”

Tenn makes a mental note to thank Takanashi Tsumugi for her impeccable taste in children’s clothing.

Later that evening, Iori tiredly walks into the dorm, eager to just get into the bath and sleep early for the day. Today’s schedule is especially tough and he doesn’t even want to  _ think  _ about what and who is waiting for him in the dorm.

“I hope Nanase-san is back to normal.” he mutters. “And maybe find out how did he even -”

He stops in his tracks when he sees the scene in the living room.

Baby clothes are scattered across the room along with opened boxes of snacks and drinks. Lying on the sofa with the blanket covering half of their bodies are Tenn and Riku. Riku is still wearing his little red riding hood costume, the hood part of the cloak slipping off his head. Tenn is holding him close, his body curling in to press the toddler against his body.

They both look so at peace that Iori doesn’t have the heart to wake them up and scold them for the mess.

Well, he can do that later. He takes his phone out and quickly snaps a picture of the scene, his lips pulling into a smile.

Doesn’t mean he won’t take some blackmail material, though.

“Sweet dreams, you two.” he murmurs before leaving the room. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll leave what happens when Riku transformed back to an adult to your imagination.

**Author's Note:**

> kudos/comments/bookmarks are appreciated and you can find me on Twitter @tennssi0907 ^^


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